I am researching my grandmother's family. It is very difficult as I do not know who her mother was. I do know that she was born in Brooklyn in October of 1896. Her father's name was Antonio Brienza or Brienzo. The story was passed down that when she was an infant her mother and she were in the Kings County Hospital. There was a fire and her mother was killed and she was saved. My mother had done some research and discovered Her mother's mother's name may have been Teresa Azzara. We know that when she was killed Rosina's father turned custody over to an Irish American Family. Possible name was Kellty or Sweeney. Not sure. Supposedly they were very wealthy. Somehow another family was able to get custody. Their names were Annunziato and Theresa Pepo. We have no idea why this occurred. They raised her until she married Salvatore D'Angelo about 1914. We think that the Pepo family were blood relatives. They would not give up information, however. They had a daughter Antoinette (Tina) who became very close with my grandmother and we believe that she was actually her half sister. She married a man named Leonard R. LaPolla. I have since been in touch with several of the LaPolla's who were Tina's grand daughters. I have not been able to break down the "Brick Wall" of who my grandmother's mother was or father ( just have his name.).
I have found census reports of my grandmother and Salvatore. I also have Salvatore's Passenger reports.Any help would greatly be appreciated. Thank you!

I think that the death record is abt your Teresa, because the age matching with a probable arrival of 15 may 1889, Burgundia ship abt: Antonio Brienza and Teresa Brienza; the ship's manifest is in bad condition, but Teresa age seeming 27..

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about ??Ntine Brienza
Name: ??Ntine Brienza ( Antonio Brienza)
Arrival Date: 15 May 1889
Gender: Female ( it is wrote female, but the first name seeming Antonio male and not Antonia female)
Ethnicity/RaceÂ­/Nationality: Italian
Place of Origin: Italy
Port of Departure: Marseilles, France and Naples, Italy
Destination: Amirique
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
Ship Name: Burgundia

maybe the Teresa maiden name was Azzato and not Azzara because Azzara is a sicilian surname... I believe that Rosina parents coming from Basilicata region, and the Azzato surname is in this region...
suanj

Thanks Suanj!
I am tending to agree that perhaps the name was Azzato. I found Nunciato's marriage record on family search and it lists his mother's name as Azzato.
There is a link there somewhere. It might have been a close relative who had my grandmother and he agreed to raise her. This is getting very interesting.
I appreciate your help very much!

maybe a clue abt relationship between Pepe/Parente family and your Rosina Brienza;

Teresa Parente married at Nunciato/Nunziato Pepe (or Nunzio or Annunziato.. always same name in different versions) was the daughter of Gennaro Parente( ?? or Generoso or Gianuario, sorry but it is impossible to say the right italian first name, by census ); the mother was Filomena...

ursaitaliano70 wrote:Thanks Suanj!I am tending to agree that perhaps the name was Azzato. I found Nunciato's marriage record on family search and it lists his mother's name as Azzato.There is a link there somewhere. It might have been a close relative who had my grandmother and he agreed to raise her. This is getting very interesting.I appreciate your help very much!

so the mother of Teresa Parente was Filomena Azzato, and the mother of Nunciato Pepe was Vincenza Azzato :

most probably also Antonio Brienza and Teresa Azzato coming from Marsico Nuovo; the Pepes and Parentes was in some way in relationship by Azzatos; maybe Teresa Azzato mother of Rosina was a cousin of Teresa Parente....
suanj
suanj

More infos: Gianuario Parente ( son of Giuseppe)and Filomena Azzato ( daughter of Giovanni)married before of 1866, because the civil records on line starting from 1866 and I no found the marriage act from 1866 to 1870, when Teresa was born; searching in the births, I found that before of emigration they had this children born in Marsico Nuovo:

Giuseppe Parente born on 29 mar 1867 son of Gianuario Parente and of Filomena Azzato

Thank you so much! actually Teresa Parente's mom was Filomena Vota and Nunciato's mother was Vincenza Azzato.
You have certainly done a great deal of research.I also found that Nunciato came from Marsico, Nuovo according to familysearch.org. I am going to print all of your info out and follow all of the clues. My grandmother was like another mom to me and before she died she wanted so much to know who her mother was. I hope in time I can find out. Feel free to keep sending the clues! This is so fascinating.
Thank you again!

Hi,
Gianuario Parente was married at Filomena Azzato, that is sure; and not at Filomena Votta... I made a search abt marriage in Marsico Nuovo of Antonio Brienza and Teresa Azzato, and I no found; but I wish to search again... if Teresa died in 1899 and seeming born in 1863/4 and if arrived in 1889, but no sure if the ship's manifest is right, or married in Marsico Nuovo or married in NY.. searching by Antonio Brienza I no found the marriage in Marsico Nuovo, but no all Marsico Nuovo marriage years having index... I hope of to find more... also helpful could be the 1892 New York census, abt the Pepe, Parente, and Brienza families...
all the best,
suanj

I just now created an account here on italiangenealogy.com to thank you for the information you posted about the parents and grandparents of Annunziato "Nunziato" Pepe "Pepo" and his wife Teresa Parente Pepo. Those two people are ancestors of my sister-in-law. I have been making a chart of her ancestors. The information you posted was all new to me, so I thank you very much.

The photo of the birth record of Teresa was great, and I saved it.

It is hard to find information about Annunziato and Teresa, in part because they stated they were from Salerno, (I forget where I saw Salerno written), but Teresa's birth record proves she was born in Marisco Nuovo, in Potenza. Although maybe she moved to Salerno as a young child.

Hi, I believe that for a progress search it could be helpful of to find 1892 census abt Antonio & Teresa Brienza so maybe we can understand better .... as a well the 1900 census for Rosina(Rosaria)... regards, suanj